MA Fine Arts
Singapore, Singapore
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
30 Mar 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
SGD 31,500 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Develop your voice as an artist.
This unique research-based programme for artists fosters a deep inquiry into artistic practices through research. Fine Arts supports artists to develop a profound conceptual and aesthetic approach to their practice and achieve a level of professional excellence required by the demands of a dynamic contemporary art landscape.
The programme's core concerns in contemporary art-making attract a diverse body of students who cross disciplines and geographies. In a multidisciplinary peer learning environment, you are supported to build your artistic vocabulary by pursuing high-level independent research as required for professional arts residencies, archival and fieldwork, and PhD study. Through rigorous studio experimentation and innovation, you engage with emerging critical, theoretical, and historical discourses to develop your practice.
Singapore's strategic geographic and culturally connected position in Asia and its investment in arts infrastructure have created numerous opportunities for artists to connect globally and engage with contemporary art discourse. The programme plugs centrally into this development, providing you with sustainable career opportunities as an artist.
Located within the McNally School of Fine Arts, you will be exposed to a wide range of expertise. Faculty, many of whom are award-winning artists and scholars in their own right, provide individualized, supervision alongside a roster of international visiting artists, curators and critics.
The programme is renowned for producing numerous award-winning artists working globally, having represented in major biennales and art fairs, curated exhibitions and museum shows, residencies and art competitions, commercial and not-for-profit galleries, and as artist-researchers and educators. It continues to do so.
Why apply
Practice-led and studio-based learning: Immerse in a range of educational approaches that include lectures, workshops, seminars, group discussions and critiques, presentations and individual tutorials, all of which culminate in a final research project comprising an exhibition of artworks and a supporting document in the form of an exegesis.
Independence and autonomy: Learn to be self-motivated, and engage in independent visual and theoretical research, as well as develop the ability to evaluate your own work and expand your awareness of the critical developments in contemporary art.
Professional practice and community: Be exposed to a range of contemporary art practices and models of engagement through guest speakers and group critiques.
Study trip and intercultural immersion: Learn how artists and art communities respond to differing social and cultural contexts in the production of art through visits to artists' studios, galleries, biennales and art spaces, and gain invaluable research opportunities through networking with local art communities.
Career Opportunities
Artist, arts consultant, arts community organiser, arts educator, gallerist, researcher or writer.
Gallery
Curriculum
Full-time
- Studio Practice (30 credits)
- Issues in Practice and Research in Fine Arts (30 credits)
- Studio Practice 2 (30 credits)
- The Agora (30 credits)
- Final Research (60 credits)
Note: The workload will be approximately half for MA programmes offered in the part-time mode.
Modes of assessment
- Written Assignment
- Seminar Presentation
- Thesis or Project Work
- Student Designed Assessment
Curriculum framework
The LASALLE MA framework aims to provide graduates with a competitive edge that will meet the demands of the dynamic cultural and creative sector.
The MA framework has the following common structure:
Core modules
You will study three core modules* according to your chosen programme of study. These modules aim to equip you with discipline-specific skills relevant to your area of research inquiry.
*For the MA Art Therapy and MA Music Therapy programmes, there will be additional modules for clinical placements.
Common module – the Agora
The common module, the Agora, has been designed to prepare you for the intensely collaborative experience of a creative career. You will be guided to reflect on the ‘place’ of your particular discipline in society, the economy, and the environment. You will consider and experiment with combining your discipline with others (multidisciplinary), blending your skills and knowledge with those of other disciplines (interdisciplinary) or even discovering new ways of working together (transdisciplinary).
The Final Research module
Research methods will be embedded into the Final Research (thesis) module. Within this module, formal and dedicated ‘research weeks’ will occur in the first and second semesters. The research weeks will be distinctive points within your programme to allow you to concentrate fully on your research. The spread of its delivery is intended to provide you time to reflect, synthesize and consolidate your learning, and develop your research questions. You will also be provided six hours of supervision of your research.
Besides the immersion in the postgraduate research culture built through shared learning modules, the MA framework provides a transformative educational experience designed to shape you into a future-ready professional, equipped with the skills and expertise demanded by the industry.
Sustainability and care
LASALLE recognizes the important role of artists and designers in creating a sustainable and caring world. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to identify and explore issues around sustainability (from ecology and global climate change to the sustainability of their creative practices and wider cultural communities) and care (for the well-being and advancement of oneself and others).
The College actively encourages students to engage with and investigate these crucial contemporary issues as part of their studies, including through their projects, and critical and creative outputs. Through interdisciplinary learning and strong engagement with these topics, the aim is to empower students to lead the way toward sustainable practices and caring communities within the cultural and creative industries.
Materials
Basic learning materials are provided by the College.
As a developing artist, you are required to have certain items that are personal to you and cannot be shared. Such items include books, dance shoes, rehearsal clothes, safety boots, portable musical instruments, paints, canvas, basic tools, design software, cameras, etc., that will support you through your three-year learning journey. The College does not encourage the purchase of extravagant or costly materials or equipment. Our lecturers can provide you with affordable suggestions.
You are also encouraged to have your laptop for education. If you do not own one, computer labs are available on campus with the requisite software for you to undertake your work.
There may be opportunities for you to undertake extra-curricular study trips to enhance your overall learning. Trips are not compulsory and may incur additional costs.
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
In recognition of outstanding academic excellence, leadership potential, and a passion for creativity and innovation, LASALLE offers a variety of scholarships to new and current students.
Application dates for scholarships will be reflected in the various scholarship pages. Other externally sponsored scholarships are also available to students. Inquiries and applications may be directed to the respective organizations.